Church Planting – The Most Critical Decision (Part 2)

Nobody (new) goes there any more . It’s too crowded. We covered that in part 1 of this post. Space affects momentum. Make no mistake about it.

Your church has grown and now you are at the point that the lack of space is about to affect the momentum of your plant. It is not the time to look at another temporary space. It is time to consider a permanent home for the church.

As I have watched planters and their leadership teams wrestle with this issue, I see three common mistakes – too small, too big, too late. Let’s consider the implications of each scenario.

Too small: Not very many church plants make this mistake, but when they do, it becomes evident almost immediately. Generally, this one occurs because the church moves too soon and does not have the critical mass it needs to be able to afford the right space. The church becomes impatient with the temporary location and doing portable church. The result is a rushed decision to move to a permanent home followed by the reality that the church cannot afford what it really needs. Because the space is too small, the momentum of the church stalls and a whole new set of challenges sets in.

Too big: This is the one that far too many church plants stumble on. Growth is intoxicating. It is too easy to think that the growth rate the church is experiencing will continue for a while to come. In thinking through the decision, church leaders get carried away with having enough space and, in the process, inadvertently overestimate the financial capacity of the church. Too much mortgage and too much building to maintain. What happens then is that the need to feed the “building monster” begins to drive way too many discussions and decisions in the life of the church. At a time when the church has plenty of space and needs to grow, financial decisions restrict ministry. It doesn’t take long before this becomes a drag on the church.

Too late: This is the one that catches a lot of church plants by surprise. The church has been in temporary space for quite a while. They see the growth and momentum of the church, but fail to take into account how long it will be before they need more space. Then, all of a sudden, it is time to make a move to permanent space. Not just time, but past time. The church has used up all its weekend options and there is still not enough space. If this happens, it won’t take long before momentum stalls – right at the moment the church has been looking forward to for so long. Moving to a permanent home.

Three common mistakes that are all too easy to make. That’s why I believe that moving to a permanent home is the most critical decision a church plant will make after it becomes viable. It affects the church in many ways and for many years. Get this one right and your church plant will have a huge ministry impact for a long time to come!

You have to think it through. You have to consider the magnitude and make sure you have the resources (Luke 14:28-30). But most important of all, you have to pray diligently for God’s leading. This is a critical decision, but it is God’s church. He has a plan for it. Find that plan and you will have made the best decision!